News Releases

Smithsonian Museums Now Mapped from the Inside Out

Mobile App Gives Indoor Walking Directions and Maps

July 10, 2012

“What can we see?” and “How do we get there?” are two of the most common questions asked by Smithsonian visitors. To help answer those questions before they are asked, the Smithsonian has collaborated with Google to map its indoor public spaces—17 museums and the National Zoo—for easier exploration.

Beginning today, many of the millions of yearly visitors to the Smithsonian can electronically explore the building interiors, floor by floor, and pinpoint themselves within the building. The technology allows visitors with Google Maps for Android to navigate within and between each museum.

Users will see themselves on the map as a blue dot that will show their location and orientation within the context of exhibits, stairs, restrooms, eateries and other features. Step-by-step walking directions between destinations are also available within the app, providing visitors guided navigation within each museum.

“An increasing number of our visitors now turn to their mobile devices and familiar applications to help them find their way and get information about the Smithsonian,” said Nancy Proctor, head of mobile strategy and initiatives at the Smithsonian. “Indoor Google Maps helps us achieve our goal of putting the Smithsonian in their hands, both literally and figuratively.”

The mapped indoor spaces of the Smithsonian total more than 2.7 million square feet and include several hundred clickable points of interest and stand-alone objects, each of which can be tapped to set as a destination.

National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center (New York City)

The Smithsonian and Google will continue to increase the level of exhibit detail and the number of features in the maps to help visitors explore their surroundings with ease. Indoor Maps is available on recent versions of Google Maps for Android (Android 2.2 or above and Google Maps for Android 6.0 or above). More information about Indoor Google Maps is available on the official Google blog post.

About the Smithsonian

Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at 137 million.